He was totally “the best of all”, “an otherworldly phenomenon, superior to any attacker”. This is what Diego Maradona once said about Marco van Basten. The Argentine football legend (played by Napoli from 1984 to 1992) crossed paths with the star striker of AC Milan (from 1987 to 1993) for several years in Serie A. He was able to admire the immense talent of this Dutch phenomenon trained at Ajax, actually named Marcel van Basten.
Recruited at the age of 16 by the Amsterdam team, Van Basten was first and foremost one of the products of Johan Cruyff, the immense idol of the Netherlands, a triple Ballon d’Or who then revolutionized football as a coach. The young striker had 40-goal seasons under Cruyff and gave Ajax victory in the 1987 Cup Winners’ Cup. He is an outstanding finisher, blessed with incredible agility, but constantly participating in the game and going to the press!
Marco van Basten joins AC Milan and that’s the start of the problem. At the end of a season marked by injuries, he was not announced as a starter for Euro 88 in Germany, but it was he who offered the first international title to his country by scoring a hat-trick against England in the group stage before scoring in the semi-finals against West Germany and in the final against the Soviet Union, in Munich, with a cross volley that has become legendary.
AC Milan mourns their “San Marco” van Basten
Van Basten becomes the ultimate goalscorer at the highest level by shaking the Serie A nets with the Rossoneri. He is Italian champion three times and won the Champion Clubs’ Cup twice, in 1989 and 1990. He was elected Ballon d’Or in 1988, 1989 and 1992! Weakened, he played in the 1993 Champions League final against OM, multiplying classy actions against the Olympian defense but without managing to beat Fabien Barthez. This will be the last match of his career…
Two years later, in August 1995, after several operations on his very painful ankle, he announced his retirement at only 30 years old. Marco van Basten meets the supporters the next day at San Siro, for a friendly match against Juventus, and 60,000 fans offer a terribly sad farewell to a “San Marco” that they cherished so much. Coach Fabio Capello burst into tears. The Batavian, who celebrates his 61st birthday this October 31, will be elected Milan striker of the century.
